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Thread: VZ Body Control Module

  1. #1
    mcsquirt is offline Rarely Contributes to the Forum Last Online: 05-02-2024 @ 12:37 PM
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    VZ Body Control Module

    Guys,

    I've been having what may be a very intermittent Body Control Module fault or wiring problem...

    Symptoms:

    (Radio shuts off & on repeatedly - sometimes climate control goes off and occasionally the whole instrument panel goes out too!)

    This condition may last from a few seconds to maybe 30 seconds - sometimes you lose the backlighting and the instrument
    panel goes dark and all the gauges drop to zero as well?)

    Only occurs when the car is relatively cold (usually within 10 minutes of an initial startup)
    Noticed on winter days it appears more frequently....

    Fault may also materialise with sudden acceleration or braking / rough road - If it goes off while Braking hard you may also get an ABS
    fault alarm..with the chimes - Interesting it does not log this condition as a fault code?

    Once the car has warmed up (or you have the heater on) it doesn't happen again ....


    This situation (lots of devices all going off together - cold fault / intermittent etc) has me thinking
    its in the electronics not the wiring ---I may have a dry joint or failing component in the BCM (Level 3 - LUX)???

    Does anyone have a schematic for the VZ - LUX (Calais V8) BCM?

    I want to log some of the BCM pinouts to see if I can trap what's happening....

    Thanks,
    McSquirt

  2. #2
    Big_Valven's Avatar
    Big_Valven is offline Fair Contributor to the Forums Last Online: 02-11-2016 @ 12:15 PM
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    Re: VZ Body Control Module

    The ABS fault warning without throwing a code would suggest low voltage either from the alternator or to the cluster / dash / BCM themselves.

    Are you familiar with Diagnostic Mode on the trip computer? I am fairly sure it's MODE and ^, hold them down when you start the engine, you can then cycle through a heap of 'hidden' parameters. Find the battery voltage one and keep an eye on it.

    It won't help if the whole cluster drops out, but may help keep an eye on things sometimes.

    A friend's VY did the same thing, albeit not dropping out completely, and it was the regulator on his alternator.
    Happiness isn't around the corner... it IS the corner

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    mcsquirt is offline Rarely Contributes to the Forum Last Online: 05-02-2024 @ 12:37 PM
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    Re: VZ Body Control Module

    I am familiar with the diagnostic mode and the instrument cluster tests OK.. I've checked the battery voltage with and without the alternator running. All the voltages and the ripple is quite small. However the alternator is now about 7 years old and has 150,000km on it (its the original unit) so far nothing on it has been touched.

    That's why I wanted to see a schematic and log some of the BCM pinouts on the BCM... to see if whatever changes when the intermittent condition is active.

    I've been slowly working through all the BCM functions such as "auto off" for the headlights / and Accessory Power to check that all the relays on
    the BCM are functioning... This involves ignition off / door open / door close - then check all the functions like raer demist / lights / stereo etc (its all in the BCM)...
    the bit that makes me think its in the BCM is all the systems impacted during a fault have connections into the BCM or have alternate controls through the BCM.

    Thanks,
    Mcsquirt

  4. #4
    Peter B - CV8 is online now Fair Contributor to the Forums Last Online: 29-03-2024 @ 07:09 AM
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    Re: VZ Body Control Module

    There are a couple of relays within the wiring that affect charging. Might be one of them playing up ???

  5. #5
    mcsquirt is offline Rarely Contributes to the Forum Last Online: 05-02-2024 @ 12:37 PM
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    Re: VZ Body Control Module

    The latest updates:

    It's not the Alternator!
    Its' not the Earths - One on the Body near the ABS / Other on Block near Drivers side engine mount (Checked and cleaned both of them!).

    The Voltages and AC ripple are all fine.. Tested with no load and full load!

    Now tracing the main wiring back from the Battery through the power distribution module...

    You know the bit that is making this really tough!!!

    You can no longer get the Factory Service Manuals and Wiring Diagrams from Holden...
    The Original Part Number for the VZ Service Manual (VZ102006) is NO LONGER AVAILABLE
    as a spare part and there is NO ALTERNATIVE SUPPLIER......

    A POX ON HOLDEN FOR THIS ONE....... Well I'm gonna bug your dealers to copy the bastard (on-line manual) a page at a time....
    Let's see who gets sick of this first!.... You guys are gonna wish you'd given me a manual after I waste a couple
    of thousand of your dealers dollars.... (Oh just to be clear - with no prospect of Holden ever getting paid)....

  6. #6
    mcsquirt is offline Rarely Contributes to the Forum Last Online: 05-02-2024 @ 12:37 PM
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    Re: VZ Body Control Module

    Well great news: The VY & VZ Service and Maintenance Manuals (Factory Manuals) fro the MY05, MY06 models are available.

    Today I picked my CD-ROM up from SUTTONS PARTS in LIDCOMBE (Sydney)...

    The retail on this SMI Disk is around $500 (Which is half the cost of the old blue books for a typical VR or VS --- A full set of those
    will cost you over $1000 assuming you can still get all the volumes)

    It still has the part number VZ102006.

    It is still a special order through Holden Parts back to Infomedia (the company who produces the disk).

    Just so everyone knows it work with anything from Windows 98 onwards up to Windows 7 (32 Bit)

    I'm told it does not work on Windows 7 (64Bit Edition)

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    mcsquirt is offline Rarely Contributes to the Forum Last Online: 05-02-2024 @ 12:37 PM
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    Re: VZ Body Control Module

    Earths - Earths - Ground Points and Ground Connections....

    Think I found the root cause of the Radio / Cluster / ABS intermittent faults.

    ... All the Wiring Harness for the Cockpit / Front Body all terminate
    at a single Ground Point (A white 6 Way connector) tucked in behind the Battery on the fender inside the
    Engine Bay (its X157 in the wiring diagrams or Ground Point - GP2.....

    I found a small amount of corrosion / rust on the post and the nut. The highest resistance was a few Ohms
    and the lowest about 0.3 Ohms - Sounds small but when you are sinking currents up to 40Amps the Voltage Drop
    can be the full 12V which will cause all kinds of weird intermittent faults.


    Took the connector all apart cleaned all the pins with a wire brush. Resistance is now 0.1 Ohm or less.

    So far no hint of a problem..,.. Having the factory manuals & wiring diagrams makes all the difference....

  8. #8
    lord_hydrax is offline Has Not Contributed to the Forum Last Online: 09-12-2012 @ 10:29 AM
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    Re: VZ Body Control Module

    Hows your car going now? Has this issue gone since the last thing you did here?

    I just started having the EXACT same issue descirbed on my VZ SS Commodore over the past week... about to start going through what you've done!

  9. #9
    mcsquirt is offline Rarely Contributes to the Forum Last Online: 05-02-2024 @ 12:37 PM
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    Re: VZ Body Control Module

    Guys,


    When the Alternators on the VZ's get to high mileage (150,000km) something starts to go odd
    with the electrics. (Sympton becomes visible under hard braking / hard acceleration / when cold / when pulling a full electrical load).

    Another piece to the puzzle..... (There are two different Alternators used on the VZ's).... You need to identify which one you have fitted...

    I replaced my old alternator a few weeks ago with a brand new unit and a lot of that very weird (intermittent electrical faults)stuff went away.

    Just a note to the guys with the VZ's.... There appears to be two different kinds of alternators used in the VZ's (one which is the same as the VY - the pins on the plug to the engine loom
    look like this - big fat plug (I I) on the later models and the pins are much smaller look like this (- -)

    Have a careful look at the Alternator loom plug before you purchase a replacement alternator.

    The other change is that on the later models (- -) Holden / Mitsubishi is now supplying Alternators fitted with an overrun clutch (I believe these are the same units that run with the LS2's).
    I also noticed that the idler pulley isn't as "twitchy" at low RPMs' with the new (overrun clutch) Alternator.

    The unit I am running is the (- -) unit with the overrun clutch (I have an LS1 engine built 08 - 2005) but the spec on this alternator is supposedly LS2, so far, done a bit over 5,000km since fitted and everything stable!
    Genuine Mitsubishi Electric Corp part number is A003TG1581 (140 Amp Model)

    The cost on e-bay for a Mitsubishi Unit was around $200

  10. #10
    mcsquirt is offline Rarely Contributes to the Forum Last Online: 05-02-2024 @ 12:37 PM
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    Re: VZ Body Control Module

    The problem was definitely the Alternator....

    Seems that the voltage regulation is all done by the Computer (based on what load it senses
    it drives the Alternator to output more current.... If that feedback get upset it goes nuts!....

    Changed the Alternator around November last year (Now 6 months later) - Been running fine ever since - No problems.....

    Never seen anything like this fault before.....
    (Weird / Cold Sensitive / Very Intermittent / Multiple Systems & Instruments involved)

  11. #11
    mcsquirt is offline Rarely Contributes to the Forum Last Online: 05-02-2024 @ 12:37 PM
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    Re: VZ Body Control Module

    Well its a year later..... The Alternator is working fine.... The Earths are all good and I have had a year of stable operation.....

    Sadly, the Starter motor is playing up (Slow to wind over sometimes have to try 3 or 4 times to get it to kick over)....
    Got the genuine Starter Motor - Not Fitted yet!

    Water Pump has failed (Leaking main Bearing) - Got the Parts and fixed that one

    Noticed my Cooling fans were not working fully (Got a temperature about two needle widths above 1/4)
    Turns out I had lost the small fan completely- Both Windings in the small fan failed and only one winding in the Big Fan was working!

    This is a nasty fault..... If you get the same scenario on a HOT DAY and you lose the last winding this will toast your engine....
    If you a moment check you are getting BOTH FANS on when you trip the A/C and they should kick in BEFORE the Temp gauge gets
    to 1/4 (About two needle width below 1/4)

    Have now replaced both FANS.... (All Good!)

  12. #12
    mcsquirt is offline Rarely Contributes to the Forum Last Online: 05-02-2024 @ 12:37 PM
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    Re: VZ Body Control Module

    Well the starter Motor has been replaced...

    Alternator still good (No weird intermittent electrical faults) YIPPPEEEE!

    Got myself the VZ Binnacle (about to fit that).

    Still got one intermittent "ticky" lifter. Only ticks about 1500kms afetr an Oil change
    when engine is hot and after a long idle (~8-10mins)

    Just moving to try a Nulon 15W-50 Full Synthetic Oil to see how that goes.

  13. #13
    steve000 is offline Forum Newbie Last Online: 10-07-2015 @ 10:24 AM
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    Re: VZ Body Control Module

    Hey mate,

    Thanks for keeping us up to date.

    I too have the new BCM/PCM controlled alternator instead of the standard type.
    You mentioned you got the one with the clutch installed, no issues but correct voltages still?

    Steve

  14. #14
    mcsquirt is offline Rarely Contributes to the Forum Last Online: 05-02-2024 @ 12:37 PM
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    Re: VZ Body Control Module

    Steve,

    The Mitsubishi Alternator I fitted is the same one they used in the VE's. Voltages all good!

    The best part about the alternator with the overrun clutch is it takes all the twitching (at low RPM's) out of the main belt tensioner too.

    Its all still going great!

  15. #15
    Woodchukka is offline Fair Contributor to the Forums Last Online: 29-05-2019 @ 02:24 PM
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    Re: VZ Body Control Module

    Never heard of a alternator clutch overrun pulley. Had a search on it then. Not going to run out and buy one however an interesting concept.

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